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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25166998">Don't Back Down</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fallenstar92/pseuds/Fallenstar92'>Fallenstar92</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gallavich: Life, Love, and Parenting [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shameless (US)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bipolar Ian Gallagher, Comforting Ian Gallagher, Domestic Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, EMT Ian Gallagher, Established Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, Established Relationship, Exes, Fluff and Angst, Ian Gallagher Loves Mickey Milkovich, Insecure Mickey Milkovich, Jealous Mickey Milkovich, Light Angst, M/M, Married Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, Mickey Milkovich Loves Ian Gallagher, Parents Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, Tattoo Artist Mickey Milkovich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:33:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,740</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25166998</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fallenstar92/pseuds/Fallenstar92</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A lot could be said about Ian Gallagher, but one thing no one could say, is that he's not ready to stand up for his man.</p><p>Or, Ian's exes are all around Chicago, and Ian's not going to let them talk shit about his husband or their family.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gallavich: Life, Love, and Parenting [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1815346</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>319</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Don't Back Down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ian had done a lot of stupid shit in his life, but one thing he'd done that was actually a good decision, was loving Mikhailo Aleksandr Milkovich. Or, rather-as Mickey kept reminding him once he received his new Driver's license and his reprinted Social Security card-Mikhailo Aleksandr Gallagher. And he'd let anyone who questioned that know just how wrong they were. No matter who, when, or where that may be.</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> <strong>Kash</strong> </em> </span>
</p><p><span class="u"></span>Ian watched from a few feet away as Mickey helped Liam set up his Science Fair display, taking in just how easily Mickey allowed himself to be bossed around by their-admittedly far too brilliant for his age-seven year old son. "Okay, and <em>that</em> one goes up <em>there, </em>Pops." Liam instructed, explaining to Mickey where each piece of his DNA model went so everything was perfectly placed in front of the poster board he'd spent two weeks-including research-on.</p><p>"That everything?" Mickey asked, taking a step back to give their work a once over.</p><p>"Yeah, that's everything." Liam said with a nod. He was incredibly proud of his project on genetic diseases, and Ian fucking adored seeing their little boy so pleased with the results of his hard work.</p><p>"Okay, me and Dad are gonna go check out some other projects before you do your presentation. You're gonna do great, kid." Mickey said, giving Liam his best version of a "Pep talk" before he walked back over to Ian, knowing the redhead took the whole PTA parent thing seriously.</p><p> </p><p>"I think he's got a good chance of winning; did you see the other second grade projects? They're all Volcanoes and models of the solar system." Ian said, smiling broadly as he and Mickey walked through the Gymnasium of Liam's school.</p><p>"We already know he's smarter than most second graders, man." Mickey replied, looking over to where Liam was re-reading all of his notes. "Gonna go get the kid somethin' to drink. You need anything?"</p><p>"Get me a bottle of water?" Ian requested, watching his husband's retreating form as he walked over to the wall of vending machines. This Mickey-the father who worried about their son's Science Fair presentation-wasn't the same person Ian had first fallen in love with at 15 years old, but-Ian thinks-he may actually love this version, more.</p><p>"Ian Gallagher?" Someone called from behind Ian. Thinking it was another parent from Liam's class, Ian turned around, only to see familiar, dark brown eyes staring at him. What the <em>fuck </em>was Kash Karib doing here?! The last time Ian heard anything about Kash, he'd fled town, leaving his pregnant wife and children without a second thought. So, why the Hell was he at a private school in Chicago?</p><p>"What... What are you doing here? Are you teaching?" Kash asked, his smile far too familiar and friendly for Ian's liking.</p><p>"No. My son goes to school here." Ian said, looking around for Mickey, only to see that the brunette was being held up by Liam's teacher.</p><p>"S-son? You... I never thought you would..." Ian could see that Kash assumed Ian has slept with a woman, and the look of disgust on his face had Ian wishing he could punch the fucking Hippocrate out.</p><p>"My husband and I adopted." Ian supplied, glancing towards Liam, who smiled and waved at his father, happily. Ian smiled back, offering Liam a tiny wave.</p><p>"Husband? You got-"</p><p>"Hey. Sorry, Liam's teacher wanted to tell me about how much better the kid's doin' in math." Mickey said, cutting Kash off as he approached his husband and passed Ian a bottle of water.</p><p>"It's fine, baby." Ian practically cooed, wrapping one arm around Mickey's waist. "Kash, you remember Mickey." Ian would be lying if he said he didn't get a sick sense of pride in how Kash flinched when he saw how openly affectionate Mickey and Ian were, towards one another.</p><p>"Seriously? Kash N Grab? Thought you ran off, years ago." Mickey commented, handing Liam the bottle of Sparkling water he'd gotten him as the child approached, keeping himself pressed close to Mickey's side.</p><p>"Mickey Milkovich? You married... <em>him?" </em>Kash questioned with a scowl.</p><p>"His name's "Mickey Gallagher", now, Mister Karib." Liam said, keeping himself busy with his drink.</p><p>"Mister Karib?" Mickey questioned, feeling panic rising in his throat. Did fucking Kash have opportunities to be alone with their son?</p><p>"He's one of the Janitors." Liam replied with a shrug.</p><p>"Ian, you <em>really </em>married him? I hope you're up to date on all of your shots." Kash sneered, clearly feeling braver when confronted with the softer, more openly caring side of Mickey.</p><p>"What did you just say?" Ian growled, getting right in the balding, fat man's face. "'Cause I <em>know</em> you didn't just say somethin' about my husband. Not unless you want the fuckin' school board to find out about what you did when you still owned the store." Ian said, focusing on not telling the asshole he was going to kick his fucking ass for talking shit about Mickey in Liam's school; Liam had worked too hard on his project for Ian to get kicked out of the school before his presentation.</p><p>"You wouldn't dare." Kash said, clearly flustered.</p><p>"I would, actually, if for no other reason than I don't want a pedophile around my son." Ian whispered, smirking when he spotted the Dean of the school approaching Liam's display. "And it looks like I got the perfect chance to do it."</p><p>"I-I'm sorry." Kash said, quickly scurrying off.</p><p>"You really gonna,say somethin' to the Dean?" Mickey asked as Liam began his presentation.</p><p>"I should... I don't want him around Liam." Ian said, draping his arm over Mickey's shoulders. "But, for now? I just wanna watch our son show off that he's smarter than these other kids." Ian kissed Mickey's cheek, softly, smiling at Liam when he looked their way.</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> <strong>Lloyd (Ned)</strong> </em> </span>
</p><p>Mickey, Ian, Debbie, Franny, and Liam walked around the Mall, looking for the perfect Gag gift for Carl's "secret Santa" gift. Debbie had been talking, nonstop about whatever girl she was dating, right now, and-in his attempt to pay attention to what his sister was saying-Ian bumped right into another person. "Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" Ian hurried, leaning over to pick up the shopping bag the man had dropped.</p><p>"Gingersnap! Long time, no see!" The man exclaimed, causing Ian's eyes to snap up, instantly meeting Lloyd Lishman's predatory gaze. What the fuck was Lloyd doing here?! They had traveled an hour away from Chicago to <em>avoid </em>anyone they might know, and fucking <em>Lloyd </em>was here?!</p><p>"Lloyd... Hey." Ian said, quickly backing up. He wasn't <em>scared </em>of Lloyd, but the reminder of his past-of the fact that he used to sleep with men old enough to be his father-made Ian feel absolutely sick.</p><p>"What brings you this way?" Lloyd ask, sliding his hand down Ian's arm, causing Ian to back up, again.</p><p>"Isn't he..." Debbie trailed off, looking towards where Mickey had walked to the food court with Franny and Liam several minutes ago to buy the kids some hot chocolate. She knew Mickey would be pissed when he saw Lloyd touching Ian, but he was focused on the two children at his side.</p><p>"Yep." Ian said, wishing his husband would hurry back. "We're Christmas shopping." Ian said, letting out a releaved sigh when Mickey, Liam, and Franny started walking back over to Ian and Debbie.</p><p>"With his <em>husband </em>and their son." Debbie said, making sure to emphasize that Ian was married. "Hey, Mick! Franny, did you say thank you to Uncle Mickey?" Debbie asked her daughter as Franny sipped her hot chocolate.</p><p>"Yes, Mommy." Franny said, clinging to Mickey's pant leg, not wanting to walk away from her favorite uncle.</p><p>"Got you one of those gross ass, sugary coffees you like, Gallagher." Mickey said, passing his husband his drink.</p><p>"You gotta stop callin' me "Gallagher", Mick; it's your last name, too." Ian chuckled, leaning over to kiss Mickey. "Oh! Mick, you remember Lloyd." Ian said, hoping his badass husband could scare Lloyd away.</p><p>"Who's he?" Liam asked, staying glued to Mickey's side.</p><p>"He's... An old friend." Ian said, hoping his little genius of a son didn't figure out that Lloyd was actually an ex-fuck buddy of Ian's.</p><p>"Oh! The baddest fag-basher on the Southside! Finally over being a chicken shit and came out of the closest, I see!" Lloyd exclaimed, causing Mickey to look physically ill at the reminder of his past issues with Internalized Homophobia. That was never truly who Mickey was, but Ian seemed to be the only person who understood that fact.</p><p>"At least he wasn't sixty years old sleepin' with a fifteen year old." Ian said, snapping his lips shut when he remembered his son was standing there.</p><p>"You weren't complaining nine years ago." Lloyd chuckled, looking to the-clearly underaged-boy walking out of the store behind Lloyd.</p><p>"No, because I was a lonely teenage boy who thought sex was attention; only person I actually got real attention from, though? Him. That's why I married him. And we're gonna make sure our son doen't end up with some fuckin' creep like you when he's older." Ian said, turning to leave before he stopped and looked at the young boy with Lloyd. "You don't need him; the money seems nice, but it's not worth what it makes you feel." Ian warned before he lead Debbie, Liam, Franny, and Mickey-who he wrapped an arm around-towards another store.</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> <strong>Caleb</strong> </em> </span>
</p><p>Seeing Kash and Lloyd hadn't really affected Mickey; he knew that-without a second thought-Ian had chosen Mickey over both of them. That feeling didn't last very long, though, when Ian, Lip, and himself all agreed to go to Liam's school Career fair. Mickey was actually happy that morning-having heard Liam telling several kids in his class "My Pops has the coolest job, <em>ever! </em>He's an artist and people have his art with them, forever!"-as Liam helped him hang up several sketches and photographs of his work in the "tattoo artist" booth the school assigned him.</p><p>"Can you do tattoos on us?" Liam asked, making Mickey laugh, softly.</p><p>"No, bud, I don't have my gun or the airbrush I used for your birthday, last year." Mickey said, thinking back to Liam's seventh birthday when he'd begged Mickey to do temporary tattoos at his party.</p><p>"Dad said I'm not allowed to get a <em>real</em> tattoo until I turn eighteen." Liam said with an adorable pout-and if Mickey ever finds out people know he finds someone aborable he'll kick some ass-on his face.</p><p>"Then I guess I'll give you one for your eighteenth birthday like I do for Dad on his birthday." Mickey offered, making Liam's smile return.</p><p>"How many does Dad have, anyway?" Liam asked, having seen the roman numerals on Ian's left ring finger, the Ms over his heart-because Ian has an aversion to fucking shirts-the Eagle on his ribs-for the same reason-the moon on his bicep, Monica's initials on his shoulder blade, and the vining snakes on his left forearm tattooed on Ian's body.</p><p>"The six you've seen, plus "my demons hide in plain sight" on his right foot and a Bipolar Disorder awareness ribbon on his right hip." Mickey said, knowing Ian always at least wore socks and the ribbon on just below were Ian's pants always sat.</p><p>"How many do <em>you </em>have, Pops?" Liam asked, leaning on the table beside him.</p><p>"My knuckles, Ian's name over my heart, the skull on my forearm, the demons on my shoulders, my Mom's name on my left side, a spider on my left hip, and a broken, rusted crown between my shoulder blades, so... Fifteen." Mickey said, wondering when that number had gotten so high. "Looks like your class is one booth away. You wanna go learn about Firefighters?"</p><p>"No, I wanna stay over here with you. I'll go with them after you to go see Dad and Uncle Lip's booths." Liam said, flipping through the sketech book in the table at some of Mickey's favorite designs. "Do you think I could be a tattoo artist when I grow up? I want to help people, and people always feel better when they see their new tattoo." Mickey smiled at that, knowing Liam had absolutely fucking preened when people would hug Mickey and thank him for adding a piece to their bodies that had been so important to them when he'd had to go to the shop with Mickey when he had the flu, earlier that month.</p><p>"If that's what you wanna do. Or you could be an EMT like your Dad, a mechanic like Lip, or a doctor or somethin'." Mickey said, affectionately squeezing his son's small shoulder.</p><p>"And this is Mister Gallagher, class. He's one of Liam's fathers, and he's a tattoo artist." Liam's teacher said as she lead the class to his booth.</p><p>"You guys can call me Mickey." Mickey said, hearing a soft "seriously?!" From the booth beside him. "Like your teacher said, I'm a tattoo artist. I work at a shop a few streets over, and I get to spend all day sketching designs, doing tattoos, and finding out what people want to put on their bodies, and they usually tell me why the design is so important to them." Mickey explained as a tall, musclular man with a dark complexion and a shaved head stepped out of the firefighter booth and watched him. The man looked pissed off-a scowl on his face and his arms crossed-but Mickey chose to focus on the small hands flipping through his sketch book and chubby faces staring at the visible tattoos on his body.</p><p>"Did you do your tattoos?" One little girl I'm the front row asked.</p><p>"No, I had one of my coworkers do all of mine." Mickey replied with a soft smile.</p><p>"Do they hurt?" Another little girl asked. "My mommy said hers hurt."</p><p>"Some do, others aren't bad. It all depends on where it is." Mickey answered, remembering how hard it was not to laugh at the women who would scream at the top of their lungs when they would get tattoos on their asscheeks.</p><p>"How do you know how to use a needle and not poke someone too hard?" A boy who was looking at the pictures Mickey had on the table of his gun-that he called his "paintbrush" when people would comment that his sketeches were too good for him to "just be a tattoo artist"-showing the needles, gun, hoses, and motor.</p><p>"When you're first learning to tattoo someone will teach you how to determine how much pressure you'll need. There are things like what color ink they want and how thick the lines should be that we have to think about." Mickey answered professionally.</p><p>"Tell them how you're thirty and still workin' for <em>tips!" </em>The firefighter called, clearly pleased with himself.</p><p>"Well, since I'm only twenty-six I can't tell them anything about bein' thirty." Mickey replied, making Liam and the teacher laugh. "And people <em>do </em>tip their tattoo artists, but we get paid by the hour for our pieces. And we get tipped pretty well."</p><p>"How much do you get tipped per tattoo?" The teacher asked, quickly looking at the firefighter in a very "keep your mouth fuckin' shut" manner.</p><p>"It depends on how detailed it is, how happy someone is with the final result, and how many sessions we have. I've gotten anywhere from fifteen dollars to over two hundred dollars from a single person for one tattoo." Mickey explained. "More detailed tattoos have to be broken up into a few sessions; ones like the tattoos on my fingers? Those take about twenty minutes to finish. Those snakes on the table? Those took four, one hour sessions to finish."</p><p>"Those are on my Dad's arm; he got them for his birthday, last year." Liam explained, happily.</p><p>"Do you like giving people tattoos?" One little boy asked, looking up at Mickey with wide, bright blue eyes.</p><p>"I love it. I get to be creative, make people feel more confident, and I even got to meet the Mayor when I gave him a tattoo a few months ago." Mickey said, making the man roll his eyes as the class started to move on.</p><p>"So you're Mickey." The man said, stepping closer to Mickey and looking him over. "Not sure why he left me for <em>you." </em>The man said, finally making Mickey understand the other man's bitterness; this was Caleb, the firefighter Ian dated four years ago.</p><p>"So you're the guy who cheated on Ian." Mickey said, sitting down and working on a design he'd been hired by Born Free Cycles to create for some rich guy's bike.</p><p>"At least I'm not some piece of Southside trash who's never gonna go beyond doin' trampstamps of the current "love of someone's life's" name." Caleb snickered. "I'm a <em>real </em>artist. But, I also have a real job. He just wanted you 'cause you were an easy piece of ass from the time you were seventeen." And that? That stung. Mickey knew he'd been a little slutty in his younger years-he and Ian both had-but in order for Caleb to even have that opinion of him, that would mean Ian had said it. Was that the reason Ian had stuck around? Because he was an easy piece of ass he could always get his dick wet with?</p><p>"He laughed at you when he was with me." Caleb said, leaning closer to Mickey. "He said you were the last part of his slutty years."</p><p>"Did I?" Ian questioned, approaching Mickey with his arms crossed. "'Cause I remember leavin' and ignorin' your calls for a week because you wanted to talk shit about Mickey." Ian quickly leaned over, pressing a kiss to Mickey's temple. "Sue's talkin' to the kids, so I wanted to come see which tattoos you brought pictures of." Ian whispered, lovingly. "I didn't expect to see the guy who cheated on me-on my birthday-givin' my husband a hard time.</p><p>"Are you really that childish? That you go around harrassin' people who are happy in their lives 'cause you've sold one "art piece" and it was to a friend after you guilted him." Caleb looked away, and Mickey internally berated himself for doubting that Ian loved him. "Walk away. This is our son's school, so I'm not gonna start a fight, but I'm not afraid to once we get outside." Caleb walked away, and Ian started looking through the photos of tattoos Mickey had brought as if nothing had happened. Fuck, did Mickey love Ian Gallagher.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em> <span class="u">Trevor</span> </em> </strong>
</p><p>Trevor didn't have a chance to make Mickey feel insecure when they ran into him as they dropped Liam off to Vee at The Alibi Room so they could finish their Christmas shopping for their son. "Okay, he's gonna fight you on it, but he's gotta be in bed by nine-thirty or he'll be miserable, all day, tomorrow." Mickey instructed Vee as Kev got him a beer.</p><p>"It's okay, Papa bear, I'll take care of the Cub for ya, don't worry." Vee laughed. Secretly, she loved how sweet of a parent Mickey had turned out to be; it proved that Ian had found his perfect match.</p><p>"Whatever. You can deal with his ass when he's a moody little shit." Mickey said, laughing softly when Liam tried to push him.</p><p>"He's definitely got that Milkovich temper." Kev commented with a little smirk playing at the edge of his lips.</p><p>"You have no idea." Ian said, picking Liam up and planting a noisy peck on his cheek.</p><p><em>"Daaaaaad! </em>Stop acting dumb!" Liam complained, causing Vee to throw her head back in hysterical laughter.</p><p>"Yep. He's a Milkovich, all right." Kev said, passing Liam a soda as Ian sat him back on a bar stool.</p><p>"Don't call my kid that." Mickey griped. Ian understood what it meant better than anyone could imagine, though; being Milkovich had been a curse to Mickey, and he didn't want anyone to "ruin" Liam by giving him the name that had nearly drove Mickey and Ian apart, more than once.</p><p>"Last time I saw him, he was Ian's kid brother." A voice called out from the opposite end of the bar, causing Ian to tense.</p><p>"Last time I saw <em>you </em>I told you to stay the fuck away from me." Ian commented, hanging Liam's coat on the back of his seat as the boy began to tell Kev some new facts he had learned in school.</p><p>"Not like I followed your ass or anything. Why the Hell is your brother calling you his Dad? Is that a white trash thing? Kids just call someone"Mom" or "Dad" until they figure out which drunks or junkies are <em>actually </em>their parents?" As soon as the words left Tractor-or whatever the fuck the asshole's name was-Ian was at his side. Mickey stayed close to Liam-sadly, knowing the boy was smart enough to understand what that pretentious prick said-but was more than happy to watch Ian's fist connect with that smug face.</p><p>"I gave you a fuckin' warning when you thought you could talk shit about Mickey. And I probably would've let you talk shit about me or my fucked up parents-even though you told me to "act like a fuckin' adult, for once, and forgive Monica when she was saying sorry"-but you brought my kid into it." Ian seethed, kneeling beside Travis-Mickey didn't actually give a shit what his fucking name was, so why learn it?-after he fell off the barstool. "You'd think a fuckin' Social Worker would understand adoption."</p><p>"I better get fuckin' Rambo outta here before he gets his ass arrested." Mickey sighed, knowing Ian would probably throw another punch. "Be good for Vee; Kev's gonna tell me and Dad if you were an asshole." Mickey playfully warned Liam.</p><p>"I'm delightful!" Liam exclaimed, dramatically, watching Ian walk away from Trevor in a huff.</p><p>"Love you, bubs." Ian said, suddenly much calmer as he kissed the top of Liam's head.</p><p>"Love you, Dad. Love you, Pops." Liam said, too invested in the drawing he was showing Kev to pay much attention as his parents left and Vee kicked Trevor out of her bar for talking shit about her surrogate family. Mickey just flipped the asshole off before taking Ian's hand and walking towards their car, knowing that Ian was his and Liam's over anything else. Trevor could just go fuck himself.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This took so much longer than I thought it would to finish, but I hope everyone enjoys it! Leave me some comments to let me know what you thought! Much love!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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